Stories of humans, science and society.

Raising livestock takes a huge toll on the environment, including the water and feed that cows consume and the methane and waste they emit. That's why Andras Forgacs co-founded Modern Meadow, a three-year-old biotech startup working to develop meat — in a lab. But while proponents of the experimental technology argue that it’s more sustainable than current practices, skeptics worry about the hidden costs.